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OlflnnKttrut Halbp Btstnrtral Bamty 



Springfield, MassacAuseUs 



EXERCISES IN CONNECTION 

WITH THE UNVEILING 

OF 

THE DAVID AMES TABLET 

MAY i8, 1917 




vi^ i.ocA:rED 



A GIFT TO THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY 

HISTORICAL SOCIETY FROM 

THE GREAT GRAND-DAUGHTER OF 

DAVID AMES 

MRS. OSCAR B. IRELAND 




THE HOUSE BUILT BY 

DAVID AMES, JR. 

LOCATED ON AMES HILL, MAPLE STREET 

AND NOW OCCUPIED BY 

MISS MARY AMES 

AND 

MRS. OSCAR B. IRELAND 












^ ^ 

^^^ 



Descendants of 

DAVID AMES 

Representing Four Generations 



Miss Mary Ames 
Mrs. O. B. Ireland 
Gordon Ireland 
Frederick Ireland 
Elizabeth Ireland 




SPOT WHERE THE 
BOULDER WITH TABLET 
WILL BE LOCATED 
CORNER MAPLE AND MILL STREETS 



UNVEILING OF THE DAVID AMES TABLET 

FRIDAY MAY 18, 1917 at 2:30 o'clock P. M. 
MAnocANY Room Auditorium 



program 



Introductory Remarks 

By W. F. Adams, President of the Society. 

President of the Day 
Charles W. Bosworth. 

Invocation 

By Rev. A. P. Reccord, Minister of Church of Unity. 

Address of Welcome and thanks to the Donor on behalf of the Citizens of 
Springfield 

Hon. Frank E. Stacy, Mayor. 

Presentation of the Tablet to the Connecticut Valley Historical Society 

By Gordon Ireland of New Yorlc City, of the Fourth generation in lineal descent from 
David Ames. 

Unveiling of the Tablet 

By Frederick Ireland of the Fifth generation in lineal descent from David Ames. 

Acceptance of the Tablet in behalf of the Connecticut Valley Historical 
Society 

By Charles Goodrich Whiting. 

The first papermaker in the Connecticut Valley and the art of paper- 
making in the early days and some comparisons of later days 

By George B. Holbrook. 



THE FIRST PAPERMAKER IN THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY 

And the Art of Papermaking in the Early Days 
AND Some Comparisons of Later Days 



By George B. Holbrook 

To me has fallen the pleasant task of focushig your attention for 
a few minutes on some facts concerning the first papermaker in the 
Connecticut Valley and the art of papermaking in the early days. 

The age of papyrus and parchment, after a history of some thou- 
sands of years, came practically to an end during the i6th century. 
After this, hand-made paper was most successfully produced in 
Spain, followed by Holland, England, France and America. The 
first paper made in this country of which we have record was made 
in Pennsylvania in 1690 by a German papermaker in partnership 
with a master printer. 

David Ames, whose memory we justly honor to-day, built better 
than he knew when he established the first successful paper mill in 
this part of New England. For when we consider the enormous 
benefits that have come to the Connecticut Valley through the 
development of the great industry of papermaking, it certainly is 
a fitting thing to recognize the foresight and energy that led David 
Ames to establish and later, through his sons, to carry on for many 
years the manufacture and distribution of paper. 

The history of papermaking from the earliest times is a fascinating 
study, and the contemplation of the tremendous role played by 
paper, and its allied art of printing, as a potential factor in the 
development of modern civilization is well worth while. We cannot 
take the time, however, to trace in detail the origin and evolution 
of paper as we know it. 

Life of David Ames 

David Ames was born in West Bridgewater, Mass., on February 
2, 1760. His father was one of the first iron manufacturers of New 
England and was the proprietor of a successful nail and slitting mill. 
In early life David Ames engaged at Bridgewater in the manufacture 
of shovels and guns and supplied the American army with these 
articles. During the Revolutionary war he held a commission in the 



militia, and was occasionally called into service. In 1794, on account 
of his services and his knowledge of the manufacture of arms, he was 
appointed by President Washington to establish and superintend a 
national armory at Springfield. The first musket was made at the 
new armory under his supervision in 1795, and the works turned 
out 245 muskets the first year, about 40 men being employed. 

David Ames had married Rebecca, the daughter of Major Johnson, 
at Bridgewater in 1781, and they became the parents of nine chil- 
dren. His wife and two children accompanied him to Springfield, 
— one, a daughter, Mary, and the other a son, David, Jr. Two sons 
were born in Springfield at their home on the armory grounds — 
Galen Ames in 1796 and John Ames in 1800. 

It is not necessary for me to describe to this audience the Spring- 
field of those early days. The little town of 2300 inhabitants was 
characterized then, as now, by a progressive spirit and a proper 
estimate of the value of industry and education. David Ames 
recognized the advantages of making his permanent home in this 
community, and in 1802 he resigned his position with the govern- 
ment in order to give all his time to building up the papermaking 
industrv. 

Early Paper Mills 

Springfield had attempted to have a paper mill during the time 
of the Revolution. Proprietors of the iron works on Mill River con- 
ceived the idea and received from the town a grant of lands and 
privileges. For some reason, however, this grant was soon after 
rescinded and the mill was not built. But in 1786 Samuel Babcock 
owned a mill there, making newspaper. Another mill had also 
been established on Mill River prior to 1788, probably by Eleazer 
Wright, and it is believed that this is the mill that was purchased 
by David Ames in 1800. This mill was the regulation small affair, 
having two vats and two rag engines, each of 120 pounds capacity. 
The machinery was mostly of wood, and power was derived from an 
undershot wheel. It is interesting to know something of the labor 
conditions of these early days. In a description of the Thomas 
mill established near Worcester in 1794, similar in equipment to that 
of the mill purchased by David Ames, we read that the vats were 
usually run 15 hours each day; that 10 men and 11 girls were em- 
ployed, and that from 1200 to 1400 pounds of paper were turned 
out weekly. The skilled engineer, who managed the plant, received 
about ^3 a week; vatman and coucher, or pressman, $3.50, each. 



without board; ordinary workmen and girls, 75 cents a week; boys, 
60 cents a week each, with their board in addition. These were the 
wages that generally prevailed in all the mills at this time and later. 
During the first 20 years of the Ames mill the development of the 
manufacture was rapid and was characterized by the same energy 
and distinguished ability that has always been shown by the family 
originating at West Bridgewater and including in its membership 
such names as Oakes Ames, Ex-Governor Oliver Ames, and Frederick 
Ames. 

David Ames was a good citizen, as well as a good paper manufac- 
turer. He was known as a man of sound judgment and great busi- 
ness activity, and was generously disposed to give both publicly and 
privately for the benefit and improvement of the town. One of his 
gifts was $600 to the fund for the purchase of the land now Court 
Square. He was evidently fond of music, as it is said he was the 
owner (1810) of the first piano brought into Springfield. 

The Ames' Inventions 

The eldest son, David, Jr., and the youngest son, John, were 
early associated with their father in his paper mill. While the first 
was a good papermaker, it is to the second son, John, that we owe 
the improvements that have changed the business from a hand- 
made to a machine-made process. John Ames received the first 
patent for a cylinder machine May 14, 1822 — 95 years ago last 
Monday. Other practical inventions of his were a trimming knife, 
a pulp dresser, a cutting machine and a drying machine, also calen- 
ders for finishing the paper. He originated the idea of running a 
continuous sheet of paper through the sizing instead of dipping each 
sheet as had been the custom. In 1828 the two sons bought the 
father's interest and the firm became D. & J. Ames. Besides the 
original mill at Springfield, the firm bought a mill at Suffield, Ct., 
one at Chicopee Falls and another at Northampton, formerly owned 
by the Clarks. The firm also built a 12-engine mill at South Hadley 
Falls. At this time it has been estimated that the Ames family 
produced one-half of the paper used in the country, and it is gen- 
erally conceded that to the genius of John Ames a greater share of 
credit is due for inventions improving the art than to any other man. 
The Springfield Republican, on January 21, 1832, speaking of the 
improvements at D. & J. Ames' paper mill remarks: ''If the im- 
provements in the manufacture of paper and in the art of printing 
proceed as they have in the last 10 years, we may expect to see a 



machine which will receive rags at one end and deliver the books 
all printed and bound at the other." 

The value of the product of the Ames' mills at this time was 
said to be about ^150,000 a year, and the number of reams pro- 
duced to be about 39,000. The profits of later years were very large 
and encouraged the proprietors to invest in outside speculations, in 
Canadian lumber and in coal lands in Pennsylvania. They met 
disaster at about this time, which caused their failure in 1857 — 
10 years after the death of David Ames, Sr. It is said that every one 
of their mills has since been destroyed by fire. But notwithstanding 
failure of the firm of D. & J. Ames, the Ames family will always 
have a high place among the promoters of the paper industry, for 
ability and enterprise, and for the men they educated and gave to 
the industry to carry it on step by step to greater importance. We 
may truthfully say that all the paper mills within a radius of 15 
miles from Springfield grew directly or indirectly from the pioneer 
mill inaugurated by David Ames in 1800. 

Early Processes of Manufacture 

In the simple process of making paper by hand in the early days, 
rags, the principal material used after being thoroughly cleaned and 
dusted, were moistened and piled together in a damp place, where 
they were left to decay for 20 days or more. During this time the 
perishable portion, such as vegetable gluten, was fermented or de- 
cayed to such an extent that the rags could be boiled and washed 
and finally beaten to a smooth pulp by the use of mallets. In the 
early days, before the discovery of the use of chemical agents to 
remove the coloring matter from the rags, the shade of the paper 
was determined largely by the color of the rags used. When it was 
discovered that chemicals such as lime and chlorine would dissolve 
the coloring matter from the tissue, clear white paper could be 
made and one factor as to quality and cost was removed. 

When the fibers had been separated by this tedious process, they 
were placed in a vat, with a proper admixture of water to form a 
soft, slightly cohering mass of pulp. Then for forming the pulp 
into sheets, the papermaker used a fine wire screen — called the 
"mold," oblong in shape and supported by a light frame under- 
neath. Above this was placed a shallow frame known as the deckel, 
which was to control the size of the sheet. Dipping the mold into 
the mass of wet pulp, the operator filled it to the top of the deckel 
frame; then as the water drained through the wire cloth, the oper- 



ator moved the mold back and forth, giving a constant, even and 
gentle motion to the mass of pulp. (Here the wire used, determined 
whether the sheet was to be wove, laid or watermarked.) When 
the pulp had been properly drained and matted together, it was 
passed on to the "coucher," who turned the moist sheet upon a 
sheet of felt stretched on a board. Over this first layer of pulp was 
placed another sheet of felt, then another mold full of pulp and so 
on until a pile was accumulated several quires in thickness. The 
layers were then heavily pressed, squeezing out the water, when 
the sheets of felt were removed and pressure applied the second 
time. The sheets of paper on being taken out were hung over poles 
to dry. After this the paper was "sized" by dipping in a solution 
made of hide clippings, then the sheets were pressed again and for 
a second time hung up to dry. If a smoother surface was required, 
it was obtained by passing the paper between metal rollers. Hand- 
made paper is still made to a limited extent in America and to a 
greater extent in England. All Bank of England notes are printed 
on hand-made paper, two notes to a sheet, so that three edges of 
every note are rough. 

Working under the old method, it took three men a day to mold, 
press and dry or finish 4000 small sheets of paper, while the process 
from beginning to end required about three months. Contrast this 
with the modern methods by which the tree in the forest is cut 
down and made into the great newspaper ready for the reader in 
24-hours' time. From the small beginning of papermaking by 
hand, the business has grown in volume and importance to its 
present position among the great industries of America. 

It is hardly necessary to mention the great development during 
the last 75 years in the process of making paper by machinery, as 
we, in this vicinity, are more or less familiar with it: The Dutch 
engine, the Fourdrinier and cylinder machines, the calenders, ruling 
and plating machines, system of sizing, drying, etc., all of which 
are used to complete the paper ready for market. 

Papermakers of the Valley 

Permit me to digress here for a moment to mention the names of 
some who were prominent followers and who profited in the develop- 
ment of the paper industry by David Ames and his sons. 

Joseph Carew was one of the first men to engage in papermaking 
in the Connecticut Valley near Holyoke. In 1830 he had charge of 
the paper mill in South Hadley Falls, owned by Howard & Lathrop — 



competitors of the celebrated Ames. In 1848 he organized the 
Carew manufacturing company and built their mill at South Hadley 
Falls. He managed their business successfully during the remainder 
of a long and honorable life. 

Joseph C. Parsons began the papermaking business in Holyoke 
with the Parsons Paper Company in 1850. Mr. Parsons was a prac- 
tical papermaker, having had experience first with D. & J. Ames 
and then with the Eagle Paper Company of Suffield, Ct. He was 
a very capable business manager and built up a profitable trade for 
his company. 

He produced the first paper used by the United States government 
in the making of stamped envelopes. 

The second papermaking concern in Holyoke was the Holyoke 
Paper Company, whose mill was built in 1857. Orrick H. Greenleaf, 
an esteemed citizen of Springfield, was the controlling owner, and 
the results of his management were always satisfactory to his asso- 
ciate stockholders. He died in 1896. 

The Whiting Paper Company was organized in Holyoke in 1864 
by William Whiting. Mr. Whiting was first connected with the 
Holyoke Paper Company, and then with the Hampden Paper Co., 
before organizing the corporation that bears his name. He built 
a second large mill in Holyoke in 1870, and soon thereafter acquired 
the mills of the Collins Manufacturing Company in North Wilbraham. 

The production of these three mills in loft-dried writing paper 
exceeded in volume that of any competitor then doing business in 
this country. 

Others among the older manufacturers of paper in this valley 
deserving mention are Wells and John Southworth. These men 
owned and successfully managed the mill of the Southworth Com- 
pany in Mittineague and the Hampshire Paper Company in South 
Hadley Falls. 

Chapin & Gould were proprietors of a mill in Russell and began 
the making of a high grade of writing paper in 1861. 

Charles O. Chapin and Mr. Gould are remembered as much be- 
loved and highly esteemed citizens of Springfield. 

George L. Wright, who enjoyed the title of "mayor of Mitti- 
neague," organized the Agawam Paper Company in the early '6o's. 
He was a producer of first-class writing paper. 

Zenas Crane was the pioneer paper manufacturer in the Berk- 
shires. He built the first mill in Dalton in 1801, and was superin- 
tendent and manager on a salary of $9 per week. His management 



was of a character that brought great prosperity to Dalton — the 
Crane paper always being of very superior quality. It is an honor 
to the name that for many years past the United States govern- 
ment has awarded the contract for all the special paper used in 
making our greenbacks and banking currency and the government 
bonds to the Messrs. Crane. 

Byron Weston of Dalton was a successful manufacturer of the 
best grades of ledger account book paper and with the L. L. Brown 
Paper Company of Adams — this class of paper was largely con- 
trolled by them in this country for many years. A number of the 
younger men who followed these pioneers have continued up to the 
present time as successful manufacturers of the various grades of 
paper. We gladly give the preference, however, to all who paved 
the way to success for those that followed. 

Some comparison between the production of paper a century ago 
and the present time may be of interest as pointing to the advan- 
tage that has come to our people in the use of paper for business 
purposes and, better still, in the facilities it has given us for accumu- 
lating knowledge. The census of 1810 shows a production of hand- 
made paper in 16 of our states valued at $1,689,718, The census 
of 1914, made by our department of commerce shows the production 
of all kinds of paper, by 714 establishments (probably more than 
1000 large mills), located in nearly every state in the Union, but 
largely in the eastern and central states, in 1914, with a conservative 
addition for 1915 and 1916 to be as shown in the accompanying 
table. 

Table Showing Production of Paper 

Tons 

Newspaper 2,230,626 

Book, coated cover, etc 934,979 

Wrapping 881,799 

Writing 247,728 

Tissue 121,598 

Building and roofing 243,908 

Wood and straw board 291 ,843 

Card board 83,010 

Hanging 96,52? 

Blotting 14,157 

Miscellaneous 130,459 

By paper box raaiicrd and others 



5,276,634 
For growth in 1915 and 1916 add 15% 791,495 

6,068,129 
There was used in the making: Wood pulp of 

which 6.4% was imported 3,427,545 

Waste papers 1 ,577,845 

Rags 371,346 

Straw 309,345 

Rope and bugging 121,230 





Average 




Value 


per lb. 




$83,937,936 


1.9 c 


42. % 


73.499.514 


1.4 c 


18.1 % 


49.372,753 


2.8 c 


16. % 


34,054,918 


6.9SC 


4-8 % 


ii.S3S.720 


4.8 c 


2.3 % 


9.475.733 


2. c 


4-7 % 


8,498,012 


1.45c 


S-6 % 


5,376,434 


3-5 c 


1.7 % 


4,488,910 


2.4 c 


1-9 % 


1,457,897 


5- c 


.03% 


9,890,641 


3.8 c 


2.6 % 


2,767,407 




100.00% 






294.3S5.875 


2.8 c 




44.153,381 






338,509,256 . 






65% 






30% 






7% 






6% 






2% 





5,807,311 

Add 15% 871,096 

6,678,407 



It is said that the butterfly gave silk to the world, but to the 
wasp credit must be given for leading to the discovery that paper 
could be made from wood fiber. 

One Gottfried Keller, a German papermaker, returning from his 
work one evening in 1840, accidentally stepped on something that 
attracted his attention. He stooped and picked up what proved to 
be an abandoned nest of a queen wasp. The crushed nest was soft 
and pliable, and yet tough in texture. Keller was puzzled, as this 
seemed to him a very paper-like substance. He experimented, using 
a grindstone and hot water to reduce spruce wood to a fiber condi- 
tion, with the result that, adding only a small proportion of rag 
fiber, he produced paper that was pronounced very desirable for all 
printing purposes. Following this the wood fiber industry in Ger- 
many developed rapidly. 

The first paper made in this country of all wood fiber was pro- 
duced in March, 1867, — and then was introduced the era of cheap 
and abundant news service, the multiplied supply of periodicals and 
books and the enormously increased numbers of the reading public. 
It is now a question whether the growth of pulp-wood trees in our 
own and the Canadian forests is keeping up (plus what pulp we can 
import) with our increasing requirements, and, if not, to what can 
we turn for a substitute material. 

In recognizing this most satisfying growth and the fact that the 
paper industry has brought no little prosperity to the people of this 
beautiful Connecticut Valley, we do not forget that we owe much 
to the sagacity, energy and public spirit of the pioneer papermaker, 
David Ames. 




A. C. Hastings^ Holyoke 
W. N. Caldwell 
Clifton A. Crocker 
Horace A. Moses 
Edward P. Bagg, Holyoke 



(Eummttt^f an JIttmtatton 

Frederick Harris Miss Mary Ames 

Alfred Leeds Mrs. Samuel Bowles 

Sherinan Bozules Mrs. Solomon B. Griffin 



(^ammXXn o« 2Ioratto« 

Stanhope E. Blunt 
Andrew J. Flanagan 
Mrs. 0. B. Ireland 
Charles E. Ladd 



Henry C. Haile 

J. Stewart Kirkham 

Herbert R. Wolcott 



Eerrptiou Qlommtttp? 



Robert 0. Morris 

Rev. J. H. Lockwood 

0. S. Greenleaf 

Richard Hooker 

Charles H. B arrows 

Mrs. Alfred Leeds 

Mrs. Edzvard S. Brewer, Longmeadow 

Mrs. A. A. Packard 

Mrs. D. P. Cole 

Charles A. Frazer 

E. A. Hall 

T. F. Dzvight 

A. H. Watson 

Dr. Appleton Morgan, New York 

Nehemiah Hawkins, New York 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



018 456 228 5 • 



THE AMERICAN 

WR]Ilgi:MERe. 




This program is printed on " Eagle A " Berkshire Text, White, Laid Finish, 25 x 38 - 80 lb. 



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